Folding chairs



March 29, 1955 A. c. HOVEN FOLDING CHAIRS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed. July 6, 1954 I INVENTOR Alfred C. J/oven IBMOMWM WITNESS ATTORNEY United States Patent FOLDING CHAIRS Alfred C. Hoven, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignor to American Seating Company, Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporation of New Jersey Application July 6, 1954, Serial No. 441,554

6 Claims. (Cl. 155--148) The present invention relates to folding chairs.

The primary objects of the invention are to provide a novel type of folding chair which is easily manipulated between folded and unfolded positions, which is especially sturdy in use, and which is relatively simple and economical in construction and attractive in appearance.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of the new chair;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the same in its open or unfolded position of use;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the same in its folded position for storage;

Figure 4 is a rear elevational view of the chair in its unfolded, use position.

Referring now in detail to these drawings wherein like parts are designated by the same numerals in the several views the new chair generally comprises a seat 10, back 11, front legs 12 and rear legs 13. The seat consists of spaced apart seat stiles 14 of angle bar construction to which is secured a seat panel 15 as by means of rivets or bolts 16. The rearward end of each seat stile 14 has an outwardly and then upwardly turned arm 17, as viewed in Figures 2 and 4.

The front legs 12 of the chair constitute the leg portions of an inverted U-shaped metal rod or tube, the bight portion 18 of which is journalled for pivotal movement in the spaced apart seat stiles 14. The rear legs 13 simi larly constitute the leg portions of an inverted U-shaped rod or tube the bight portion 19 of which is likewise journalled for pivotal movement in the seat stiles 14. At each side of the chair the front leg 12 and rear leg 13 are connected by a link 20 which has its forward and rearward ends pivotally connected to said legs respectively and which extends in a generally rearwardly-downwardly direction in the unfolded position of the chair.

The chair back 11 consists of a back panel 21 secured as by bolts or rivets 22 to the upper portion of an inverted V-shaped tubular support 23. The lower ends of the legs of this support 23 are flattened to provide side extensions 24 which project downwardly below the chair seat 10. Rear links 25 have one end of each pivotally connected to one of the side extensions 24 and the other end thereof pivotally connected to the pivotal connection between the adjacent side link 20 and rear leg 13. Laterally projecting stop lugs 26 on the rear links 25 are adapted to contact the downwardly projecting side extensions 24 on the chair back to limit the unfolding move ment of the chair as seen in Figure 2.

Additional stop means are provided at the front of the chair for preventing any tendency of the front and rear legs to "spread when the chair is occupied. These means comprise stops 27 struck from the metal of the seat stiles 14 which are adapted to contact a bent metal strip 28 secured as by welding to the bight portion 18 of the Ushaped front leg member and extending thereacross. Thus the chair possesses great stability when in its unfolded position for occupancy.

It will thus be seen that the invention provides a fold ing chair which is sturdy, efficient and attractive, and while but one specific embodiment of the invention has been herein shown and described it will be understood that numerous details thereof may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as the same is defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a folding chair: a chair seat; a pair of front legs 8 and a pair of rear legs pivotally connected to the underice side of the seat; a pair of side links disposed at opposite sides of the chair and each side link pivotally connected to the front leg and to the rear leg at that side of the chair; a chair back pivotally connected to the chair seat at the rear of said seat and provided with side extensions projecting below the seat; and a pair of rear links pivotally connected to said side extensions and to the rear legs respectively of the chair.

2. In a folding chair: a chair seat; a pair of front legs and a pair of rear legs pivotally connected to the underside of the seat; a pair of side links disposed at opposite sides of the chair and each side link pivotally connected to the front leg and to the rear leg at that side of the chair; a chair back pivotally connected to the chair seat at the rear of said seat and provided with side extensions projecting below the seat; and a pair of rear links pivotally connected to said side extensions and to the side links respectively of the chair.

3. In a folding chair: a chair seat; a pair of front legs and a pair of rear legs pivotally connected to the underside of the seat; a pair of side links disposed at opposite sides of the chair and each side link pivotally connected to the front leg and to the rear leg at that side of the chair; a chair back pivotally connected to the chair seat at the rear of said seat and provided with side extensions projecting below the seat; and a pair of rear links pivotally connected to said side extensions and to the pivotal connections between the side links and the rear legs respectively of the chair.

4. In a folding chair: a chair seat; a pair of front legs and a pair of rear legs pivotally connected to the underside of the seat; a pair of side links disposed at opposite sides of the chair and each side link pivotally connected to the front leg and to the rear leg at that side of the chair; a chair back pivotally connected to the chair seat at the rear of said seat and provided with side extensions projecting below the seat; a pair of rear links pivotally connected to said side extensions and to the pivotal connections between the side links and the rear legs respectively of the chair, said rear links having laterally extendin g stop lugs thereon adapted to contact the downwardly projecting side extensions on the chair back to limit the unfolding movement of the chair.

5. In a folding chair: a chair seat; a pair of front legs and a pair of rear legs pivotally connected to the underside of the seat; a pair of side links disposed at opposite sides of the chair and each side link pivotally connected to the front leg and to the rear leg at that side of the chair; a chair back pivotally connected to the chair seat at the rear of said seat and provided with side extensions projecting below the seat; a pair of rear links pivotally connected to said side extensions and to the pivotal connections between the side links and the rear legs respectively of the chair; and cooperating stop means at the upper ends of the front legs and on the underside of the seat adapted to contact to limit the unfolding movement of the chair.

6. In a folding chair: a chair seat; a pair of front legs and a pair of rear legs pivotally connected to the underside of the seat; a pair of side links disposed at opposite sides of the chair and each side link pivotally connected to the front leg and to the rear leg at that side of the chair; a chair back pivotally connected to the chair seat at the rear of said seat and provided with side extensions projecting beloW the seat; a pair of rear links pivotally connected to said side extensions and to the pivotal connections between the side links and the rear legs respectively of the chair, said rear links having laterally extending stop lugs thereon adapted to contact the downwardly projecting side extensions on the chair back to limit the unfolding movement of the chair; and cooperating stop means at the upper ends of the front legs and on the underside of the seat adapted to contact to likewise limit the unfolding movement of the chair.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 473,704 Le Count Apr. 26, 1892 1.064,289 Cassidy June 10, 1913 1,992,434 Kosanek Feb. 26, 1935 

